


Trouble Will Not Take Me

by brilliantbanshee



Series: Lone Star Week [4]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Communication Cut Off, Gen, Hurt TK, I don't know why this is so long but it is, M/M, Marjan and TK's friendship is everything, Worried Marjan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24049117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilliantbanshee/pseuds/brilliantbanshee
Summary: A routine call leaves Marjan and TK trapped in the aftermath of an explosion. Their radios are broken, there is no way out, and TK is fading fast. Marjan tries to be an optimist, but even she is struggling to find a bright side - or even hope. She just doesn't want to watch her friend die, and she'll do whatever she can to prevent it.(911: Lone Star Week Day 4 - Action & Adventure)
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Marjan Marwani & TK Strand
Series: Lone Star Week [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1733593
Comments: 31
Kudos: 311
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star Week, 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand





	Trouble Will Not Take Me

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be just a quick rescue fic. 4k later, here we are. I don't even know anymore.
> 
> Title from "This is Not The End" by Milck, which I have been listening to on loop all day.

Marjan blinks open her eyes and the world is revealed to her in pieces. A haze of dust covers everything; blotting out shapes and covering shadows.

She blinks again, running through her mental checklist. Her name is Marjan Marwani. She is a firefighter with the 126 in Austin, Texas. She moved here 6 months ago. Today is Wednesday. She had been looking for squatters in an unstable building with TK.

Her thoughts grind to a halt. TK. He had been with her…before. Before what? Her mind was frantic, scrambling to piece together the fragments of memory. There are images and sound, but they’re scrambled, without context. She forces herself to breathe deeply. She breathes in – 1,2,3,4. She holds it – 1, 2. She releases the air – 1,2,3,4.

Things are a little clearer now; her mind sharper in the wake of the panic. The details began to fall in order. They had been called for a welfare check. A concerned citizen reported that there were squatters in an unstable building. Cap had sent Marjan and TK in to check. It was supposed to be quick, simple. In and out. It had started that way too. She remembers teasing TK about a certain APD Officer as they picked their way through the rubble of general neglect that coated the floor of the building. She had been teasing him about the grin that had spread across his face at the sight of Officer Reyes’s police cruiser pulling up to the scene (it had truly been adorable).

He had turned to face her, a sly grin on his face. “You’re just jealous Marwani,” he had quipped. But even as he joked, his eyes were still full of adoration for the other man. 

She had been about to respond. She was probably going to compare him to a puppy or maybe make a joke about handcuffs. She wasn’t sure – she only knew she hadn’t had a chance.

The next piece her mind provided was less of an image, and more of a sensation. The sound of an earth-shattering explosion, a wave of blistering heat. And then, darkness.

So, an explosion of some kind. That was…less than ideal. She pulled herself up, moving slowly. Miraculously, she seemed to be fine. She was sore and she could feel some cuts from what she assumed had been flying debris, but nothing major. She felt hope rising within her. If she was unhurt, maybe TK was fine too – wherever he was.

Even as she thought it, she knew it was unlikely. The simple fact that she hadn’t heard from him yet was enough to cast doubt and fuel her anxiety. If TK was okay, he would have been looking for her. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind.

She would just have to find him.

* * *

Owen watched in horror as the building before him collapsed in on itself. The building that had members of his team in it – the building that had his son in it. He was moving forward before he had even fully processed a thought. His mind had devolved to a broken record; _TK and Marjan were in there. TK was in there. They needed help. They needed help._

His panic was impervious to coherent thoughts. He needed to help them. He needed to save them.

The only thing that stopped him from barreling into the building himself like a green probie was the strong hand grasping his shoulder and pulling him back. There were words being said, they might be talking to him. He forced himself to focus.

“Cap- Owen! Listen to me!”

Judd’s voice broke through his haze and he looked over to find the firefighter watching him with a wary expression. “You with me Cap?” he asked. Owen nodded; words were still beyond him.

Judd sighed in relief, “Good. We need to evaluate the situation and come up with a plan. That’s their best shot at getting outta this in one piece. Can you do that?”

Owen nodded, reigning in his panic. He was the captain and while he crew on the inside needed his help, his crew on the outside needed his leadership to get them out. He could freak out and give TK a bone crushing hug later; right now, he needed to focus on the recuse and not the what if.

He turned to face the rest of his crew, “What do we know?”

Paul held up his radio, “I had them on comms, but the signal went dead right after the explosion. I haven’t been able to reach them since.”

Owen nodded tightly. Loss of comms was never a good sign, but he forced himself to move on. “Do we have any idea what caused the explosion?”

“We actually might be able to help with that,” a new voice said. Owen turned to see Carlos behind him, his partner at his side. He studied the young officer closely. He could see the fear and panic that he was feeling reflected back in the eyes of the officer, but it was restrained; only visible in the clenching of his hand and his frequent glances back at the building.

“How so?” he asked.

“There have been reports of someone setting explosives in abandoned buildings around the city for the past few weeks. We’ve been doing our best to keep tabs on it, but whoever is doing it is pretty unpredictable, there haven’t been any patterns to follow.”

“Then how do you know this is connected?” Paul asked.

“There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason in selecting the buildings, but the result is always the same,” Carlos’s partner – Mya, Owen remembered TK saying at one point - explained, “and this is their handiwork for sure. Though, there has never been anyone in the buildings before.”

Owen ran a weary hand through his hair. A serial bomber, perfect. One that was possibly escalating to boot. Exactly what they needed. “How does this help us to get them out?” he asked tensely.

Carlos gave the smallest of smiles, “That’s where the good news is. He always sets the devices in the same place – directly in the center of the ground floor. The destruction will be worse there, but it should be simple to trace the destruction out and plot the best angle of approach.”

Owen could feel himself relaxing the slightest amount. This was good, this was something solid that could actually help. “Can you get us those reports?”

“They’re already on their way.”

* * *

Marjan moved another piece of debris, carefully placing it in on the pile behind her. She felt like she had been slowly digging her way through the mound of debris for ages. Her shoulders ached from the repetitive motion, but she pushed on. She needed to find TK – she would stop until she found him. Unfortunately, she had no idea where to even begin searching. She had gone with her best approximation of where she remembered him standing when the explosion happened but nothing looked the same, so it was even harder to judge. She was working blind while her friend’s life was on the line. She had no tools or tricks to help her, so she did the only thing she could: she kept digging.

She had been calling out, hoping to get even a groan or a breath in response – something to let her know where he was; to let her know he was still with her. The only response she had gotten was her own echo.

She could feel tears of frustration threatening to fall. She stopped digging for a moment and allowed herself to breathe. She was getting nowhere. But she couldn’t stop. Not until she found him. She kept digging.

She had brushed against a different texture and she froze. She reached blindly towards it, grasping at. She felt it again and her heart rate increased. It was the thick material of a turnout coat; TK’s coat.

“TK,” she called again, her voice tinged in desperation, “answer me, please!”

She was met with silence, again. But she kept at the pile of debris, digging with more vigor now that there was a tangible hope in front of her. She dug, flinging the debris behind her with little care now that she knew that she was not in danger of squashing TK. It was slow going; painfully so. But surely with every moment, a prone figure was more and more exposed. She could see his back now. He was face down; his arms thrown up around his head in a futile effort to protect himself. He wasn’t moving.

Her heart stuttered. No – she refused to believe that she had found him only to not be able to save him. The universe was not that cruel. She gently reached for one of his wrists, her own trembling as she did so. She said a desperate prayer as her hand grew closer; begging everything good in the universe to feel a pulse thrumming against her touch.

Then she heard it. A groan; so soft that under normal circumstances she never would have even registered it. But in this moment, she heard it, and it made her heart soar.

“TK?” she called again, more hopeful this time. She paused, waited; allowed the silence a chance to be broken.

“Marjan?” her name, in TK’s voice, was the most wonderful thing she had heard all day. The voice was weak and breathy, but he was coherent and _alive_.

She places a hand on his shoulder, “Yeah, it’s me. Are you okay? Do you think it’s safe for me to turn you over?”

He nods and she gently pulls at his shoulder, helping him to turn over. Within seconds he is facing her. He blinks open his eyes and their gaze meets, and she can breathe easier.

“Are you okay?” he asks her, concern evident in his eyes. She rolls her, “I’m fine, you’re the one who has been trapped in rubble for who knows how long. How are feeling? Are you injured at all?”

He was quiet for a moment as he ran down the mental checklist. He started to sit up and let out a gasp of pain, “I definitely hurt my ribs, but other than that I’m fine.”

She reached for his coat, going to open it when he looked at her strangely, “What are you doing?”

“Checking your ribs.”

“You don’t need to, I’m sure it’s fine. They hurt and I’ll be careful, I promise.”

She glared at him and he stared back defiantly, “it’s not like we can really do anything about it right now anyway. Let’s just put our effort into finding a way out.”

She threw her hands up in defeat, “Fine, but you better be careful. I’m holding you to that.”

He gave her a mock salute and she rolled her eyes before helping him to his feet. Once he is standing, he takes in their surroundings. “Wow,” is all he says and Marjan nods grimly.

He reaches for his radio, only to find it broken into pieces. “Is yours working?”

She shook her head and he swore lightly. “Guess we’re finding our own way out of here then, huh?”

“Seems to be the case.”

“We’d better get started then. Can’t have them missing our beautiful faces for too long.”

She rolled her eyes at his antics but just the sound of his voice filled her with warmth. Just the simple fact that she was no longer alone in here made all the difference in the world.

They worked in silence for several minutes, the only sound the shuffling of rocks and TK’s occasional sharp intakes of breath when he jostled his ribs. They had made no headway in finding a way out though.

A sudden commotion from behind her had Marjan whipping around to see what was wrong. She found TK on the floor, and her heart began to hammer again. She rushed to his side, “Are you okay,” she asked, trying her best to keep her panic out of her voice.

He groaned but nodded, “I feel like an idiot, but I’m fine. I just slipped on a loose piece of drywall.”

Marjan shook her head as he gave him a hand up, “and here I was thinking you were the graceful one.”

“This never leaves this room.”

“I don’t know TK, I think I’ll save it for a time in which you need to be taken down a peg or two. Sometimes that head of yours can get so big it’s a wonder your helmet fits.”

His expression was not amused, but when he opened his mouth to return her jab, a cough came out instead. And then another, and another. He doubled over, gasping for air. She reached down, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder but unsure what else she could do.

“You good?” she asked once it seemed the coughs had passed. ‘

“I don’t think so,” he said, voice tight, “I think I may have hurt my ribs more than I thought.”

Before she could ask what he meant he turned his face towards her and all her questions flew out of her mind. His mouth was smeared with blood. “Maybe you should take a look after all,” he said weakly.

* * *

The reports arrived shortly after Carlos’s call and they all gathered around to examine them. Paul had taken over the equations, “According to this, the blast radius is roughly 30 feet. So that means that anything between these points,” he said as he marked up the blueprints of the building, “will be completely destroyed. From here,” another mark, “to here will be in rough shape.”

Owen nodded. The zone of complete destruction was far too wide for his liking. “Do we have any idea where they were when we lost contact?”

Paul nodded, “That’s the good news. At their last check-in, TK indicated that they were here.” He indicated a point on the map that was outside the immediate blast radius. It wasn’t as close to the edge of all destruction as Owen would have liked, but he would take it.

He leaned over the blueprint. “Okay, so we will enter here,” he pointed at the south side of the building, the closest access point to their assumed location, “and proceed with caution. We will take whatever extraction equipment we can carry. Any questions?”

His team shook their heads collectively and Owen nodded. “Now,” he said, “This is going to be risky and we don’t have any proof of life yet so this may be a needless risk. That being said, I need to know that you are all okay with this. I understand if you are not and don’t want to come in.”

They all looked at each other and Judd shrugged, “Nah, we’re good.”

Owen took a deep breath and nodded, “Okay, let’s get geared up then. We have some team members to rescue.

* * *

Marjan surveyed the destroyed room again. She had examined every inch of the destruction, hoping that something would reveal itself. She kept hoping that something would change, that maybe she would see something – _anything_ – that could help. 

She was aware that it was likely futile, but she continued regardless. If there was even a chance, she had to take it. Besides, searching in vain gave her something to focus on other than the sound of TK’s labored (and deteriorating, as hard as they were both trying to ignore it) breathing. She was a firefighter, she helped people. But she could do nothing as her friend slowly died beside her. Another deep, wet, cough wracked his body and she closed her eyes. Tears were threatening but she forced them back. She knew TK would never judge her for them, but she didn’t want him to see her give into despair. Though, as she turned to face him again, it was hard not to.

His face was far, far too pale. The only color on his face came from the blood that was smeared across it from his coughs; brilliant red against his white skin. His shirt and jacket hung open to reveal his vibrantly purple chest. The colors were all wrong; this is not what TK should look like.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re already at my funeral,” TK said with a low laugh, that was abruptly cut off by a cough.

She shrugged, “I like to plan ahead. Year and years into the future, in fact.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence, but you may want to start picking out your outfit now. It wouldn’t do for you to look anything short of stunning at my funeral; I’m counting on you to bring the fashion.”

She knelt down in front of him and swatted at him, lightly. “Stop talking like that,” she ordered. “We’re going to get out of this.”

He nodded in agreement, “You are, at least.” At her answering glare, he sighed, “I know the team is coming for us, I have every faith in them. I just don’t know if they’ll make it in time. I don’t know how much longer I can hold on, Marj.”

She grabbed his hand in hers, holding it tightly, “Just a little longer, you can’t give up on me now. I forbid you to leave me here alone.”

TK met her gaze. His eyes were sad, “I don’t want to,” he said softly, “but I don’t really think I have much of a choice.”

She swallowed thickly, “That’s no way to talk,” she chided, “haven’t you ever heard of the power of positive thinking?”

“I’ve already almost died twice this year Marjan, I think I might be out of chances.”

“Please,” she scoffed, “if anyone were to cheat death an obscene amount of times, it would be you.”

“I don’t want to die,” he said firmly. “I…may have earlier this year, but I don’t now. I’m happy, for the first time in a while. Maybe that’s the best way to go.”

She didn’t even know what to say to that. Her heart ached for this man; her friend who gave so much of himself to everyone. He deserved the world, and he had finally carved out a little piece of it to make his own slice of happiness. After everything he had been through, it didn’t seem fair. She knew it was not her place to question the universe, to critique Allah’s plan; but if that plan involved TK Strand dying here today, she was going to raise holy hell.

She took a steadying breath, but her voice was still shaky as she spoke, “I don’t want you to die either, and I am going to do everything I can to stop that from happening.”

TK coughed again and spoke, “Good, because I think I know what you can do.”

“Anything.”

“You see up there?” he gestured towards the wall of debris that now occupied the space the door had been in. She nodded, and he continued, “Look up at the very top.”

She followed his instructions and her breath caught in her throat. There was a gap at the top, in the doorway. There was a way out of this room; she couldn’t believe that she missed it. Her excitement faded though as she examined the potential exit. There was barely enough room for one person to squeeze through, certainly not enough for one person supporting another. That and the fact that it was so high nixed it was an escape route. There was no way TK was going to be able to get up there is his condition.

She shook her head, “It’s not going to work. It’s too high up and not big enough for us to fit through together.”

“That’s why you’re going up alone.”

“What?!” she looked down at him incredulously, but his expression was serious.

“You need to Marj. I can’t make it and sitting here and waiting is not doing us any good.”

“No, it is exactly what we need to do. I’m not leaving you!”

“Marjan, you have to. Look,” he said when she shook her head, “if you can get out there, you can find the team and lead them back. You can help them get through from the other side. It’s our best shot.”

She stares at him incredulously. He was so hurt that he could barely breathe properly and yet he expected her to just leave him? But even as she thought it, his arguments made sense. Their best bet – TK’s _only_ bet – was the team finding them in time. If she could get out and find them, make that happen sooner…he might just stand a chance.

“Fine,” she said eventually, “but for the record, I am not happy about this.”

TK nodded, “noted.”

She studied the layout. His current position was far enough away from her way out that if the team did end up coming through that way, he would be safe. “Are you sure about this?” she asked one more time.

He met her gaze, his eyes steady, “Yes, I’m sure.”

“Okay,” she responded, “I guess I’ll go now.”

“Marjan, can you do something for me, just in case?”

She stopped at looked at him, “Of course.”

“Tell my dad I love him, and that I’m sorry.”

His words felt like a punch in the gut. “You have nothing to be sorry for TK, and besides – you’re going to be able to tell him yourself. I’m getting you out of here.”

“Tell Carlos…” his voice trailed off and their eyes met. Her expression softened, “You’re going to be able to tell him yourself,” she repeated, softer this time.

“Just in case,” TK insisted, “tell him, please.”

She cupped his cheek, “I’m pretty sure he already knows,” she said gently, “But I’ll make sure he remembers.”

He nodded at her, placing his hand on top of hers. Neither of them mentioned the tears rolling down his face – they ignored hers as well. She pulled her hand away and angrily swiped her tears away. She stood up and turned, preparing herself for the ascent. His voice called her back, one last time, “Hey Marj?”

“Yeah?”

“You know I love you too, right?”

Her heart swelled, “As much as you know that I love you too.”

He nodded, a smile gracing his features. They locked eyes one last time, and she began her climb.

It was surprisingly easy, and she made it to the top in no time. She looked back down at TK, who gave her a smile and a salute. She turned and headed through the gap before he could see the tears gathering in her eyes. She prayed that it would not be the last time she would see him in this life.

* * *

Owen leads the crew into the explosion site himself. He realizes protocol says that he should stay behind and run point but frankly, protocol can kindly go fuck itself. He leaves Judd in charge instead; he trusts the other man to make the right calls. He heads in with Paul and Mateo flanking him – both much more quiet than usual. They move through the halls without a word said between them, listening for any indication, any sign of life.

They are just clearing the third hallway when they hear it; the unmistakable sound of footsteps, moving fast and directly towards them. They exchange glances and pick up the pace. “Marjan? TK?” Owen calls, praying to hear his son’s voice respond.

It’s not TK, but the sound of Marjan’s voice sends a shock of relief through him just the same.

They clear the next corner and she comes careening into them, Paul’s quick reaction the only thing preventing her from tumbling to the floor. Owen is at her side in an instant, “Marjan, are you okay? What happened, where’s TK?”

Paul gives him a look over her shoulder and Owen forces himself to breathe. Bombarding her with questions was not going to help anyone right now. She takes a few steady breaths before she answers, her voice frantic, “TK is still trapped and he’s hurt, badly. We need to get him out.”

Owen swallows his panic and gives a tight nod, “Okay, we will, don’t worry. Show us where you left him and Mateo will take you out to get checked out.”

She shook her head frantically, “I’m not going anywhere until he’s out.” And she’s gone, turning back the way she came before anyone can even think of a response. Owen jogs after her without a second thought. They come sliding to a halt in front of a doorway that is nearly completely blocked with rubble, save for a small pocket at the very top.

“He’s in there,” Marjan panted, “he’s far enough away from this that he should be able to avoid any of the debris as long as we’re careful.”

“Okay,” Owen called to his other two crew members, “you heard her. Let’s do this quickly, but carefully.”

They nodded and got to work, using the extraction equipment to dig out a hole and stabilize the edges. It was tedious work and Owen could feel the anxiety eating away at him. Marjan hadn’t given any specifics on TK’s condition, but for her to be this frantic did not bode well. Dread had long since settled in Owen’s stomach and as he helped to widen the entrance, it grew.

After what seemed to be far too long – eons, at least – the entrance was wide and stable enough for a rescue crew to enter. Marjan was through it before anyone else could blink, but Owen was right on her heels. He barreled in, but ground to a halt. TK was on the ground, leaning against a pile of rubble, unmoving. Owen tried to look carefully, to examine the victim objectively but all he could see were bruises and blood and pale skin, and his heart stuttered. His son looked like a corpse. Was he…had they been too late? Had he been too late to do the only thing that had ever mattered – to protect his son, to keep him safe?

Marjan crashed to her knees next to TK and Owen held his breath, waiting for the proclamation that would shatter his world.

The silence stretched, weighing on every person in the room. When Marjan spoke, her voice was full of tears.

“He’s breathing,” she exclaimed through her tears (tears of relief, he knew now) and Owen nearly crumpled as the weight of dread left him. He fumbled for his radio, “Judd,” he called into it, “we’ve got them, but we need medical in here _now_. Chavez is coming back to guide them to our location.”

Judd’s relief was nearly tangible even over the radio, “Copy that Cap, medical’s on their way.”

* * *

The first thing TK noticed was the light. When he had shut his eyes, the room had been dark; light blocked from entering by the rubble. How long had it been that it was light now?

He blinked open his eyes and immediately noticed two things – one, he was in the hospital, and two, he was not alone. Marjan was dozing in the uncomfortable chair on the side of his bed. He took a moment to study Marjan. Save for a few butterfly bandages on her face, she appeared to be no worse for wear from their ordeal. TK was thankful for that, and for her. He didn’t know what had happened; he had lost his battle with unconsciousness shortly after she had left, but he was certain that she was the only reason he was waking up here – or waking up at all. He reached towards her, lightly nudging the arm that lay on his bed. She sat bolt upright, eyes wide and panicked. Her eyes searched the room and she settled as she noticed him looking back at her. “ _Alhamdulillah_ ,” she muttered, taking a deep breath, “you’re awake.” 

She grabbed his hand and he squeezed it, “How long has it been?” he asked, voice raspy.

She shrugged, “a few hours since you got out of surgery, but you were in there for a while. Your dad just stepped out a little while ago; I made him go get something to eat. He’s been here the whole time.”

“Thank you,” he said, and she smiled.

“Of course, you know I like bossing him around.”

“No, well yes,” he amended, “but that’s not what I meant. Thank you for saving me. I would have died in there without you.”

She squeezed his hand tighter, “You’re not getting away from me that easily,” she said lightly, “I only do friends for life and don’t you think for a second that dying is going to get you out of that. Not on my watch.”

He laughed; but turned more serious again, “I mean it Marjan. I was so sure I was going to die and I was so scared. I didn’t want to leave any of this behind.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy and will take credit for my small part in it.”

“Who says it’s a small part?”

Now she laughed outright, “That’s sweet, but we both know that there is a 0% chance that my presence in your life has lightened your days more than a certain officer of the law.”

TK rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. Marjan looked up at the door and grinned, “Speak of the devil,” she said, “I’m going to go and find your dad. He’ll want to know you’re awake and frankly, I have no intention of being here for the sap fest that is about to happen.”

Both TK and Carlos, who had appeared in the doorway, scoffed; but the moment their eyes met their expressions melted into ones of tenderness. Marjan shook her head and patted TK’s knee before getting up and heading for the door. “Behave you two,” she instructed, patting Carlos on the arm as she passed him.

Once she was in the hall, she turned back to see Carlos now in her chair, tenderly brushing his hand TK’s arm as he gave him a smile that radiated affection. She smiled to herself and turned away. Today had been one of the most stressful and emotional days of her life, but if it ended with all her friends as safe and happy as this, she would do it again.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm curious to see what you all think of this one because I am still not sure about how I feel. Let me know in the comment if you've got a sec.
> 
> Come find me on [tumblr](https://brilliantbanshee.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Update: there is now a sequel! [Trouble Will Come](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24928570/chapters/60329851)


End file.
